City officials want to make similar improvements just south of there, along a half-mile stretch of Warwick Boulevard between Hopkins Street and South Avenue.

It won't be as fancy or cost as much money as the work in Hilton Village. But the hope is it will make another older section of the city a little more attractive and a little easier to visit.

"At the end of the day," said Assistant City Manager Neil Morgan, "we would want to have a project that looks like a relative."

City officials spent nearly $2.3 million - about $1.4 million in federal grants - sprucing up Hilton Village about three years ago. They will spend nearly $600,000 in state and federal grants to fix up Warwick Boulevard south of Hilton Village. They hope to get more grant dollars in the future.

Work will include burying overhead utility lines, landscaping the median, providing additional parking lots and improving street lighting. Work could begin in early 2001.

Sandy Protich manages Conte's Bicycle & Fitness Equipment store on that stretch of Warwick Boulevard. He also lives in Hilton Village. He loves what the city has done near his home, and he's hopeful for the Warwick Boulevard corridor in Rivermont.

Protich said Conte's could use a wider parking lot so customers can turn their cars before backing onto Warwick Boulevard. He also said burying telephone and cable lines will improve the area's look.

And that's what it boils down to for Protich: "Aesthetics," he said, "and accessibility."

Fred Carroll can be reached at 247-4756 or by e-mail at fcarroll@dailypress.com